Earlier this summer, I attended a talk by David Brooks at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.  (Quick aside: The Chautauqua Institution is as close to heaven as any place I have ever found.  How’s that for an endorsement?)  During his talk, David Brooks told the audience that there are, apparently, more Americans who own ferrets than who watch Fox News.

One of the things I know many Negotiation professors try to teach their students is something about the power of framing.  I certainly do.  Particularly with respect to numbers, people often need help getting a grasp of what a particular number means, and the most effective calibration mechanism is typically comparative.

I still have no idea how many people in this country own ferrets, but …

MM